Leafy Greens

A lot of people assume that being healthy means that red meat is off the menu. But I'm delighted to say that it's very much on mine. That said, I am a stickler for ensuring that the meat we eat is of the highest quality and that it is always paired with an abundance of vegetables. Plants are always my main focus, but a little bit of good-quality meat here and there has worked best for me. I have tried being vegan and vegetarian but my health suffered during those phases. We are, after all, omnivores and so, unless you have a specific dislike of, issue with or reaction to meat, I think it's a food group that has an important role in our diet. If you like carpaccio, this recipe also works incredibly well with the beef served raw and very finely sliced.

I get a lot of inspiration from staring at the supermarket shelves, and seeing what items are grouped together. I made this recipe because I found the smoked oysters next to the anchovies in the canned fish section and decided to try them out instead in my Caesar dressing. Once I did that, I decided to riff on the croutons a bit too. In this recipe, the smoky oysters complement the rich egg yolks, which in turn get cut by a healthy dose of lemon juice. Do you like other canned fishies? All are good Caesar salad material, providing they are packed in oil, which amps up their flavor almost to a condiment level of oomph. If you want to get real crazy, find the canned seafood section in an ethnic market.

Both the tart shell and the filling for this luscious quiche can be prepped ahead, making it a great dish for brunch entertaining.

You'll make more dressing than you need for one batch of salad with this recipe, but that's a good thing.

This simple, light salad showcases the beauty of winter vegetables and makes an elegant start to a festive holiday meal.

Crisp and juicy pieces of slab bacon and just the right hit of red wine vinegar bring the perfect tangy-porky balance to these slow-cooked Southern greens.

Most people don't know escarole from escargot, but that's okay. Just know that escarole is a delicious leafy green vegetable that's high in vitamin C. Leeks, which resemble large scallions, have a slightly oniony flavor. Here, I've used both in a main-meal soup that is filling and nutritious. Try sprinkling a little smoked paprika over the soup before adding the cheese-it will give a sweet, smoky, slightly spicy flavor.

Bitter radicchio, spicy Italian sausage, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes make for a sophisticated pasta with very little effort.

Upgrade family pizza night with hot Italian sausage and a healthy dose of greens.

The radicchio delivers nice color, but endive or escarole hearts would be smart substitutions flavorwise.

Kohlrabi is underappreciated and misunderstood. But we've decided it's got our favorite crunch: sweet, dense, and snappy (think broccoli stem).

If you prefer white-meat chicken, use skinless, boneless breasts that have been cut in half crosswise.

Check your authenticity meter at the door: This is the speediest, least traditional—and most fun—ramen ever invented.

The slight bitterness of kale practically cries for sweetness to balance it out—persimmons are perfect and play well with the lime juice, prosciutto, and feta. Crisping the prosciutto adds a textural contrast.

Brussels sprouts, apples, gouda, radishes, and hazelnuts turn this kale salad into something special enough to serve guests.

Fresh basil and pears team up for a winning combo of sweet fruit and herbal notes in this bright, crisp salad.

A splash of cream is the secret to achieving an indulgent, delicious pasta sauce on a weeknight.

You're going to want to keep making this wholesome vegetarian soup all winter long.